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How are sprays and floral blankets used in funeral decorations?
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Floral decoration
An eternal bouquet for the dead, limestone relief from Egypt, 4th century bce; in the Brooklyn Museum, New York.
In the context of funeral customs, sprays and floral blankets serve as commemorative offerings to honor the deceased.1
- Sprays: These are large, flat bouquets composed of long-stemmed plant material. They are either carried or placed on caskets or at tombs as a tribute. If the flowers used have short stems, wire is often employed to add length, and the stems or wire extensions are frequently secured into a block of moss or stiff plastic foam.1
- Blankets: A blanket of flowers is specifically designed to be laid over a casket during a funeral. These are constructed by stretching burlap over a frame, covering it with a layer of flat fern, and adding delicate asparagus fern (Sprengeri). The surface is then finished by attaching flower heads, which are individually threaded with wire and fastened to the underside of the blanket.1